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2019 Rugby World Cup: Spain boss rails at "biased" referee

"Rugby is the loser," said Santiago Santos as Los Leones rounded on the referee after their crucial World Cup qualifying defeat to Belgium.

2019 Rugby World Cup: Spain boss rails at "biased" referee
Dean MouhtaropoulosGetty Images

Spain coach Santiago Santos has hit out at "biased" referee Vlad Iordachescu after Los Leones' 2019 Rugby World Cup qualifying loss to Belgium.

The official was surrounded by unhappy Spain players after their 18-10 defeat in Brussels on Sunday, which saw the visitors miss out on automatic qualification and hand Romania a direct ticket to next year's tournament.

"Rugby is the loser," says Spain boss

Iordachescu, who is himself Romanian, had to be escorted from the field at the Stade Victor Boin as the furious Spaniards remonstrated with him.

"It isn't just Spain who are the losers today," an angry Santos told LaLiga4Sports. "Rugby is the loser. The refereeing was biased; it wasn't impartial."

2019 Rugby World Cup: Spain boss rails at "biased" referee

Spain must now beat Portugal and Samoa to qualify

Spain now face Portugal, with the winner playing Samoa in a two-legged play-off for the right to join hosts Japan, Ireland, Scotland and Romania in World Cup Pool A.